I have good news and I have bad news...

Tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary of delivery of my MCS. I "almost made it" through 1st year without significant scarring . Anyhow...

On the way to work, a pebble jumped up and bit my windshield HARD . The resulting 3/8" "star" in the glass thoroughly ruined my morning commute (that's the bad news)...

So, I call State Farm to assess my "options" and they say it can be replaced at no out-of-pocket cost with no long-term impact on my rates (we'll see about that last part I guess). That's the good news.

God bless comprehensive insurance with $0 deductible. Have I been paying for that all this time??? Anywho... State Farm put "Glass America" in touch with me and when the OEM (yay) windshield shows up, they will bring it to my office and swap the windscreens, weather permitting.

The thread about busted clips and disappearing trim, is a lucky find for me. I didn't want to hijack it though.

I'm about to call my SA (Adam at Patrick MINI) and get any advice he might have, pertaining to windshield replacement "gotchas" so I might be able to avoid them. Any feedback about the company that's doing the replacement ("Glass America") or other encouraging words, is greatly appreciated. I'm in the Chicago area so locals can post their recommended shops if they care to. "Glass America" was recommended by State Farm... I suppose I should read the fine print and figure out (or <gasp> ask St. Farm) if I can get it done at Patrick?

Gratefully,
Tatt

 

Was the damage in your line of sight? If it wasn't, there is a possibility the glass can be repaired. Replacing the glass should be your absolute last option. State Farm also works with Safelite nationwide and with their "Repair medics" repair process they can take care of damage as long as it is not in your line of sight and/or over 6 inches long.

 

If by "in the line of sight" you mean "centered vertically on the windscreen, and directly in front of my eyes" then no, but it's close. It's a small "star" not a crack (yet)and you CAN feel it with your fingertip on the outside.

Repair (as opposed to replace) was suggested but there are 2 mitigating factors: 1) The repair company said they won't guarantee that it will be cosmetically perfect, only "safe" and 2) replacement costs the same ($0) as a repair would. Heck they will even remove my city sticker and my I-Pass velcro, and place them securely on the new glass (bonus, as i was worried about the red tape required to replace a city sticker).

Are you saying this because of the "can of worms" that can be opened up by remove/replace of the windscreen? This is exactly my primary concern.

I'm gonna check on that, Safelite..., and grill the heck outta the ones at "Glass America"... I'd be interested to see some MINI references, for sure.

Thank you C4 ,
Tatt

 

That last thing you want to do is to break out the factory seal when they replace your windshield. The idea behind the repair is not so much to make it "perfect", but rather to restore the integrity of the damaged area, restore optical clarity as much as feasible possible, avoid the hassle of replacing the glass and lowering the cost of repair vs replacement.

Give the safelite folks a call. Here is their website:

www.safelite.com

Talk to State Farm and tell them that you want to explore the repair option first. The safelite tech will tell you whether persuing the repair vs replacement is a good idea or not, depending on the size, severity and location of the damage. Without seeing the location of the damage, I suspect you may be a suitable candidate for repair. Yes it won't be 100% perfect if it can be done, but being able to save the original factory seal it is so much more valuable in my book.

Good luck.

 

Oh I forgot to tell you that if Safelite repairs your windshield, they will guarantee the work for as long as you own the car.

 

If you do end up replacing the windshield, you should also ask for aftermarket glass such as PPG. Numerous threads on here will attest to the aftermarket windshields being much more durable than OEM. I had mine replaced with OEM at the dealer because it was a stress crack warranty issue, but if it had been on my own coin, I would have gone PPG.

 

I'll add a second vote for the PPG glass. When Global Imports in Atlanta refused to honor my warrantee for a stress fractured windshield back in 2003, my insurance company had to pay for something they should not have.

I got the PPG glass and it has been fantastic. I actually had a softball size rock hit it on the interstate about 9 months ago. It left a small star fracture on the passenger side. Since it does not affect me, I have been waiting for the fracture to grow but this glass is so strong it has not cracked further in almost a year.

PPG Good!
OEM MINI Glass

 

Yeah, I'd swear there's something fubar with MINI OEM windshield glass. My last vehicles have taken bigger rocks in the face and not shown it at all. I hear a big "BANG" but there's no sign of impact.

On the MINI, I have had 2 such BANGs, one left a pinhole sized divut the other left a dime sized divut. Meh.

 

Hey all, I really appreciate the replies .

A couple things to add to the fray:

- C4's point about not breaking the factory seal has been on my mind... I found out that we can fix my windshield in 2 steps but only one insurance claim will result - first they will try to repair, and only if that isn't "satisfactory" (to me) then they will go ahead with the replacement, on my say-so. That means I can treat replacement as a "last resort" as was suggested, and preserve that factory seal.

- Seems like the repair co. would have to set things right if they did a poor job of replacement, but there's the nightmare scenario of repeated attempts to fix etc etc...

- I have an '05 MCS, and haven't had any issues with the OEM glass. I am reasonably certain that it's not the same problematic glass as was installed in (apparently) many 2002-2003 MINIs. I wish I could get PPG-quality but still have the little MINI logo in the driver's side lower corner . (Can you tell I'm possibly "OK" with OEM glass?)

- Foreign and domestic windshields on all makes of autos, have been sustaining rock damage since forever... Some of them just require a bigger rock before they yield, is all. Typical Tattman-Luck would be me getting the best glass possible and then somehow that "bigger rock" would find me, ya know...

You guys have given me the opportunity to not exercise poor judgment - thanks for that,
Tatt

 

YIKES @ softball-sized! I'm glad you're still around to motor (and help me out), Yucca!

wow,
Tatt

 

What do you mean with factory seal? Can it be re-established by a local shop? My windshield is pretty pitted due to the hwy miles (50K) and I'm thinking replacing it with a PPG. I have done it on my 930 w/o any "factory seal" problem.
Please educate me. Thanks.

 

The OEM glass vendor is still the same. Most dealers will tell you that stress crack issues vanished after '03 or so, but anecdotal evidence (mine and many others here) will show that it still happens. Easy rock damage and accelerated pitting of the OEM glass is also documented anecdotally as being very widespread. Glass in BMW's is also known for this, my 2 1/2 year old M3
s windshield looks like it's been sandblasted. I think since you're happy with your current windshield, I would try for the crack repair first. If you end up having to replace it, I would still vote PPG.

 

and, thanks.

 

If you do replace the windscreen, it has been advised to me to order a set of A pillars. It seems they are easy to break, and having the set on-hand is a safe bet.

 

yup. I'm assuming you mean the exterior trim and the various parts that hold it in place, etc. FYI, in my diagram this is called the "Left (or Right) Column A Cover")

In anticipation of some clips breaking, I already gave the MINI parts list and some useful diagrams to the repair co, along with selections from this and other NAM threads. I still gotta call Adam at the dealership, just to pick his brain, will do that shortly...

Trying to cover my @$$ on all fronts here. A little extra "homework" is just fine when it saves time/pain/cash in the long run. Heck, it's educational .

Tatt

 

First off, your windshield has multiple critical tasks, aside from the obvious protection to occupants from exterior elements. The windshield is also a critical component of your vehicle's structural integrity and it also aids in the proper functioning of the front airbags when these deploy in a collision.

Having said this, your "Factory seal" is the urethane (Adhesive material) used at the factory when they first install the windshield glass in your car. The method in which the urethane is applied ensures that your windshield will not "pop out" of its frame should the vehicle rolls over (Thus preventing the roof from caving in) or if the airbags deploy upon impact, these maintain their "symmetry" and stability ensuring that your head doesn't slide above or over the inflated airbag, thus hitting the dashboard or the steering wheel.

When the windshield is replaced after the fact, the glass installer will make his "best" attempt to replicate the urethane factory application, but it is often difficult (Doable though) and if the installer is not reputable or has had proper training, you could be putting your life and that of your passengers at risk

A few years ago in the media, there were some cases documented in which poorly installed windshield glass had failed during an accident and/or roll over. It was found that in most cases the urethane was improperly applied, wrong type of adhesive was used or the urethane itself was not cured properly allowing "free" movement of the glass within the pinch weld frame. (I will look for links to these articles later).

This is the reason why I encourage MINI owners here that if your glass sustains minor damage and the chip, crack, etc is not on your line of sight, repair is always the most desirable outcome over replacing because you want to hold on to that factory seal for as long as you possibly can.

Most people don't realize the important safety role your windshield plays and if it is installed incorrectly it could be extremely serious.

Last but not least, when a windshield is replaced, the installer has to cut through the original factory urethane adhesive all the way down to the pinch weld of the car's body and if this is not done correctly they can scratch the anti-corrosive paint/lacquer and open a can of worms with rust developing under your brand new windshield

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

Here is one of the articles:

(ARA) - Windshield replacement safety, an issue often overlooked by American motorists, has now drawn the attention and support of one of the country's most recognized consumer advocates.

In early November, Ralph Nader called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a consumer advisory on "the importance of windshield integrity, the relationship to roof strength and rollover crashes, proper replacement procedures and the AGRSS (Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard) standard and to use AGRSS registered shops" to create a more informed motoring public.

"We welcome Mr. Nader's interest, and support his call for the federal government to issue a consumer advisory," says Leo Cyr, vice president, auto glass division of the National Glass Association, and executive director of the association's Coalition for Auto Glass Safety and Public Awareness (CASPA). "More than 10 million Americans replace damaged windshields every year without giving a thought to the skill of the person replacing their windshield."

In a 2004 survey of consumers by CASPA, 82 percent of respondents cited windshield safety as important, but no one could identify even one of the crucial roles the windshield plays in a vehicle's safety system. In fact, modern automobile design relies heavily on the windshield for structural roof support during a rollover crash. The windshield is also critical in proper airbag deployment. Improper replacement of a windshield can also cause the glass to detach from the vehicle in a crash, allowing occupants to be ejected from the passenger compartment.

Nader's letter to the NHTSA's acting director, Jacqueline Glassman, states "… motorists should be assured that the roof strength of a vehicle on the road today is not unnecessarily compromised as the result of a windshield replacement."

"Dangerous shortcuts" such as "inappropriate adhesive applications, shortened drive-away times and improper glass handling techniques" result in "an unknown number of weak windshield installations which will not even protect occupants from the first impact in the first half roll," Nader's letter says.

Although investigative media reports have documented unsafe windshield replacements, "accurate estimates of injuries due to deficient windshield installation are unavailable due to the highly specific nature of this uncollected data," Nader states.

"No one knows precisely how often replaced windshields fail in crashes," Cyr affirms. "What we do know is unsafe windshield replacement is a risk factor that could be eliminated through greater consumer awareness. When consumers know they have reason to be concerned that their windshield be replaced properly and professionally, they will use that knowledge to recognize and reject service providers who use the 'dangerous shortcuts' to which Mr. Nader refers."

The National Glass Association recommends two quick steps to increase your windshield safety awareness. First, read the industry's Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard at www.safewindshields.com . Second, select an auto glass replacement company that follows the AGRSS standard and offers technicians certified by NGA. For help finding a certified technician in your area, or additional information on windshield replacement safety, visit either www.myautoglass.org or www.glass.org, or call toll free 1-800-myautoglass.

Courtesy of ARA Content

 

$8 for a self-repair windshield kit at your local autoparts store will do the trick. Did fine for my S when I took a rock at mile 1251 (no joke); I call it my "break-in" crack I have an extra kit in my boot JIC it happens again.

Follow the instructions to the letter and be careful when removing the injector because the resin chemicals will do major damage to paint. Jimbo

 

Another one:

When we think about auto glass installations and safety we usually are talking about the windshield. An improperly installed windshield is a dangerous item. A windshields perform a number of functions beyond the obvious one of providing a clear view to look out of the car and keeping rain and dirt off of the occupants of the car. Years ago, the only function the windshield provided was its optic clarity, and of course, a windshield must still meet these optic standards. However, today's engineers have used the windshield to help restrain occupants from being ejected, to help support the roof in case of roll over and to provide a platform for air bag deployment. In order to ensure that the car is able to meet these requirements an entirely new system of windshield installation was developed. One of the key differences from the past is that the windshield is not only sealed into the car or truck to prevent leaks, it is also bonded to the car to become a structural component of the vehicle and provide the protections described above. It is possible to seal a windshield into place, not have it leak, have the appearance of a quality job but to use the older, less expensive, easier to use sealants and for the car to be entirely unsafe. At Bi County Windshield Repair we do a number of things to ensure that every installation is done using the proper bonding agents. One thing we do is to provide ongoing training. We attend the NGA Auto Glass Technical Institute and are continually attending seminars on the proper use of the latest tools and products available.
Another issue often missed, is that these adhesives have a set up time. Usually referred to as "safe drive away time" (S.D.A.T.) S.D.A.T. is the amount of time after the adhesive is applied to the vehicle until it is safe to drive. S.D.A.T. varies greatly with different types and brands of urethane adhesives available today. At Bi County Windshield Repair we provide mobile windshield installation. However, there are many days in the year when mobile installations are just not a good idea.

Windshield installation when done properly is a safe procedure. However, done improperly it can have disastrous results. Wherever you decide to have your windshield replaced, check and make sure that they are aware of the issues, and that they use the proper adhesives.

 

I also keep a repair kit with me. Never used. Having seen these types of repairs before, I still prefer this done by a professional with the proper tools (Milar adhesive, ultra violet curing lamp, etc).

But the $8K kit could be a lifesaver to make a temp repair during a roadtrip, etc.

 

Well, that "lifesaver" has held nicely now for over 9,000 miles and 15 months. Jimbo

(Oh and temps ranging from -30 to 109 F)

 

Have a pic? I am curious....

 

No pic, but imagine a smallish, less than 1/2" star crack, windshield upper center, right in front of the RVM-- the most PERFECT place to take a hit, totally out of the line of sight. Once repaired, you could barely tell it's there.

However, when I pulled the plunger off during repair, the damn thing splattered some resin on my black bonnet stripe (passenger side) and melted right thru before I could wipe it off. Ouch. Oh well live and learn, right? Jimbo

 

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm totally amazed by you guys explanation, mainly C4. Now I know and will really research the shop to do the job. My windshield is really pitted, and during certain time of the day (sun angle) is really bad, it almost blinds you...
Thank you very much, that's what makes this forum priceless!

 

Jefeant, I am glad to be able to help